Much Ado About Thankfulness

Immediately upon arrival at our campsite in Pennsylvania, we met up with a whole mess of kids.  We'd go out sightseeing or do school during the day, but when we finished the grounds were teeming with the crew pictured above.  This wasn't all of them either, there were others.  I think. 

Our first order of business in Pennsylvania was to take care of my massive hankering for some Hershey chocolate.

Chocolate World -- Hershey, PA.

We visited Hershey's Chocolate World and took the factory tour to see how my favorite chocolate is made.  Reece's Peanut Butter Cups.  Don't challenge me on this.  I once had a panic attack because I couldn't make up my mind on which was my favorite candy bar.  I designed my own clinical trial in my car outside the gas station.  I had it narrowed down to Snickers, Reece's Cups, Pay Day and Baby Ruth.  I ate them all.  Reece's won.  Now, I know for sure it's the best in its class.  I could practically write a Consumer's Report on the topic, but that's neither here nor there.

We spent the rest of the day at Hershey Park.  Our family rated Hershey Park as the very best amusement park, hands down.  It has chocolate and roller coasters -- and lots of both.  At this point we've been everywhere from local theme parks, to the Mall of America, and even the big guns like Disney and Legoland.  My kids don't pay any attention to the fluff at many of these theme parks.  They're not interested in the "magic" of the experience.  They just want a thrill of a ride on a really fast roller coaster.  I couldn't believe how many awesome roller coasters were at Hershey Park!  It wasn't very crowded either, so we were able to ride our favorites over and over.   

Yes, please.

I love factory tours.  Chiefly because it's interesting to me, but the free samples are a close second.  We loved the free chocolate samples at Hershey so much, we decided to hit another Pennsylvania factory.  Herr's Snack Factory processes one of the leading brands of potato chips in the Mid-Atlantic region.  We toured the Herr's potato chip factory.  We were given potato chip samples -- mmm mmmm.  I've never eaten potato chips so fresh, they were still warm!  Our chips came right off the machinery on the factory floor, and had been a fully intact potato just six minutes prior. 

Herr's Potato Chip factory tour -- Pennsylvania.

Our next stop was the Gettysburg National Military Museum.  We toured the site of the battlefields during the three day long skirmish in Gettysburg during the Civil War.  We also toured the soldier's cemetery and saw the site where Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.  As part of our study, I had the kids memorize an age appropriate portion of the speech.  Each of them took turns standing beside the statue of Honest Abe and delivering the speech.  It was incredible to be able to study and experience history in this way.

The kids doting all over Abraham Lincoln -- Gettysburg, PA.

I would like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to Abe Lincoln.  I don't think I ever really grasped what a hero this man was.  He truly saved our nation.  I never understood how fractured we'd become.  The South had already seceded, elected their own president, and was printing their own money.  The Confederacy was already operating as, and fully intended to be, their own separate country.  Lincoln's leadership saved the Union.  We are the United States of America today, largely because of the brilliance of Lincoln's decisions.  As we moved further toward Philadelphia, we jumped back in history and continued to study the Founding Fathers, and our nation's Constitution.  May I ask, where have all the brilliant leaders gone?  I'm dumbfounded by the breadth of wisdom, forethought, and selflessness of these men who crafted a government which had never before existed.  England and other countries sat back, laughed, and waited for the ultimate demise of this silly notion that people could govern themselves.  Up until this moment, civilizations were maintained under dictatorships, dynasties, kingdoms, monarchies, etc.  A democracy?  George Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Monroe, Madison and others were ridiculed.  Thankfully, they had enough faith to be willing to appear foolish. 

One handsome man, one incontinent dog, and three highly decorated Junior Rangers in front of Independence Hall.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Liberty Bell.

The room where the Constitutional Convention hammered out our Constitution, George Washington presiding from the Rising Sun chair at the front and center of the room.

 

As far as I'm concerned, one should not visit Philadelphia without running the "Rocky stairs."

 

 

Climbing the 72 steps up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  These stairs were made famous from the award-winning movie Rocky.  The kids could've cared less, they were just excited to run up steps.



 

The Rocky Balboa statue -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

One of my favorite benefits of doing life this way, has been in the variety of our experiences.  There are so many unique landscapes, lifestyles, and vocations within the boundaries of our great nation.  It has been an awesome privilege to be able to become a "citizen" for a brief period of time in some of the most diverse locations of our country.  An advantage of having our home wherever we decide to park it, is that we've had a front yard in some of the most fascinating places!  Living this way has not only afforded us grand views of landscapes, but we've been given up close peeks into the lives of the people in these areas.  Pennsylvania was no different. 

We found a wonderful spot to camp in the Pennsylvania Dutch country of Lancaster. Lancaster is known for having one of the largest Amish populations in the country. We found a place to park with our front yard overlooking one of the most beautiful Amish farms in the heart of Strasburg. Each day we'd sit in the grass and watch them plow their fields with their team of mules, run their errands in their buggies, and scoot along on their push scooters (bicycles are forbidden in this particular Amish community).


At an Amish market, LAR made friends with an elderly Amish woman, Anna.  Anna told LAR how she knits baby doll blankets, and she offered to bring one to LAR.  When we told Anna we were just passing through, she insisted on getting LAR's address so that she could mail her a blanket.  She told me it may be a few weeks before she could get it in the mail, because she'd have to take a bus to get to a post office.  I was touched that Anna wanted to go to such effort for LAR.  At the end of their visit, they hugged each other, and we walked away.  You just never know who you'll meet along the way; the people we've met have been one of the largest blessings of life on the road.




It was so enlightening to live amongst the Amish for a brief period.  The rolling fields of Strasburg are farm, after farm, after farm of this deeply religious and connected community.  Their properties and schools are perfectly manicured.  You won't see farm equipment left out in the field, or cars up on blocks.  Their fences are nicely painted, and the gardens and homes are well maintained . . . all to the glory of God.  We were so impressed to see how well they manage while rejecting any sort of modern convenience.  Imagine no electricity.  None.  Ever.  Their lives are busy, but in a meaningful and productive kind of way.  They were exceedingly friendly, hardworking, and humble.  We loved watching them work and interact.  They are people, and just the same as we are . . . yet their existence is so different from mine. 

See, they go to the bank . . . just like me.  Except, totally different.

There is something about the simplicity of their lifestyle I find enviable.  Each community has their own one room schoolhouse.  In the afternoons, we'd watch all the little schoolchildren playing in the schoolyard.  The girls would play along the creek in their simple dresses.  The boys loved playing baseball in their wide brimmed straw hats and their adorable suspenders. 

At one point, it occurred to me that we were right down the road from that tragic 2006 Amish school shooting in which five girls were killed.  It was dreadfully eery.  The depth of evil that would victimize such a peaceable community is unfathomable to me.  While basking in that nostalgic way of life, I felt so troubled by the pervading ills of our society. 

It made me want to cling to these moments with my family.  To freeze frame their smiles, and to bathe in the giggles of my children.



 





 

I'm so thankful for this time with my family.  I'm so thankful for RV's.  I'm so thankful for our country and the liberties we enjoy today, which came at a great price.  I'm so thankful for the Amish example, which showcases the beauty of a simple, unhurried life. 

 

Bye for now.